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Jonathan Sam of Stillwater, a native Navajo and Zuni, joins a march to call for justice for missing and murdered indigenous women in June 14 at the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma in Concho. [Sue Ogrocki/The Associated Press]

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers has introduced several bills to improve the state’s response when Native Americans go missing in Oklahoma.

Legislators are hoping to build on the actions of the federal government, which is taking greater steps to address the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

Oklahoma reportedly has one of the highest rates of missing or murdered Native American women, but it can be hard to get a full picture of the problem because of a lack of comprehensive data.

Reps. Mickey Dollens, Daniel Pae and Merleyn Bell filed five bills to address the issue. The proposed legislation that will be up for consideration during the legislative session that begins Feb. 3 comes after Dollens held a November interim study on the issue.

Pae, R-Lawton, wants the state to create a red alert system that would notify the public anytime an indigenous person goes missing in Oklahoma. The system, which would be run by the Department of Public Safety, would be similar to Amber Alerts used to notify the public of missing children.

Nationwide, only some tribes use the Amber Alert system, although the number is growing due to changes at the federal level.

“That’s so law enforcement officers can properly communicate with family members and make sure there aren’t any misunderstandings,” he said. “There also would be just a greater understanding of the culture as well.”

Dollens, D-Oklahoma City, introduced legislation that would require the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to create a position to specifically oversee cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. The liaison would work hand-in-hand with an Oklahoma-specific federal missing and murdered indigenous persons coordinator funded by the Department of Justice.

The bill is named Ida's Law, after Oklahoma resident Ida Beard, who went missing in 2015. Law enforcement officials still don't know what happened to the woman who was 29 at the time.

The state liaison and the federal coordinator would work together to navigate complicated jurisdictional boundaries that can often slow down such cases, Dollens said.

"It's going to be a perfect match," he said. "We're one of 12 states to get a federal coordinator, and it's very much needed. That even validates the need for a state liaison, the fact that President Trump and his administration identified Oklahoma as a high-need state to address this issue."

Bell, D-Norman, authored two bills designed to make it easier for the state to find missing children. House Bill 3892 would require law enforcement to, upon receiving a report of a missing or runaway child, to collect detailed biographical and contact information for all parties involved, including the person who made the report and any suspects.

House Bill 3893 would require the state Department of Education to keep an electronic photo repository of Oklahoma students. The current photos, which parents could choose to submit, would be released to the state Bureau of Investigation if a child goes missing.

The bill also would require law enforcement to inform all on-duty officers of a missing child within two hours of receiving such a report, enter the report into the National Crime Information Center and request the child's photo from the Department of Education. OSBI also would ensure the education department has an up-to-date list of all missing Oklahoma schoolchildren.

"I'm really encouraged by the work that is happening at all levels to bring this to the forefront and make sure that we can keep as many women and children, because they are the ones who are the most affected by the violence of this sort, at home with their families and their communities and keep them safe," she said.

Dollens Bell Pae Jonathan Sam of Stillwater, a native Navajo and Zuni, joins a march to call for justice for missing and murdered indigenous women in June 14 at the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma in Concho. [Sue Ogrocki/The Associated Press]

Carmen Forman

Carmen Forman covers the state Capitol and governor's office for The Oklahoman. A Norman native and graduate of the University of Oklahoma, she previously covered state politics in Virginia and Arizona before returning to Oklahoma.
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